The Richmond Kickers are an American professional
soccer club based in
Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1993, the Kickers are one of the oldest continuously run professional soccer clubs in the United States, tied with the
Charleston Battery.[5] After following
USL Pro into the second division for 2017 and 2018, the Kickers will return to the third tier of American soccer in 2019 as a founding member of
USL League One.[6]

The team's home field is the 22,000-seat
City Stadium, where the club has played since 1995. The president of the team's board of directors is
Rob Ukrop, a Richmond native and former Kickers player, who is also an heir to the area's
Ukrop's Food Group chain. The team is coached by former player David Bulow, who replaced
Leigh Cowlishaw in 2018.

For the next nine seasons, Richmond played in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid, earning the Commissioner's Cup twice, in 1998 and 2001, as well as earning two conference championships. However, the club was never able to secure a division two league championship, their closest coming in 2005, when the Kickers fell to the
Seattle Sounders in the 2005 USL First Division Championship. After the 2005 season, the Kickers ownership self-relegated the team back into the third division, citing possible financial problems for the club if they remained in the second tier.[8] Since joining the third division, the Kickers have had tremendous success, making it to at least the playoff semifinals each season they have played in the third division. Additionally, the Kickers have won two third division premierships and two third division championships during their spell.

In September 2005, the club retired
Rob Ukrop's #6 jersey. Ukrop played for the inaugural 1993 Kickers and the 1995
U.S. Open Cup team, joined the
New England Revolution at the launch of
Major League Soccer before returning midway through the 1996 season to play out his career in his hometown. Son of the locally influential
Ukrop's grocery store CEO Robert "Bobby" Ukrop, who had an investment stake in the Kickers at launch, Rob Ukrop now serves as president of the team's board of directors.

The Kickers entered a multi-year deal to become the USL Pro affiliate of
D.C. United in 2013, and continued that affiliation through 2018.[11]Loudoun United will launch as a fully owned-and-operated affiliate of D.C. United for the 2019
USL Championship season, presumably the Kickers' affiliation tenure.[12]

Colors and badge

The Kickers' primary colors are red and white, having been so since the beginning of the 2001 season.[13] Their kits are manufactured by
Adidas, as they have been since at least 2009.[14][15] In March 2012, the Kickers revealed a new logo to celebrate 20 years since their inception. Along with the new crest, the club also announced they would be using a third uniform with the colors from their first season in 1993, green and blue.[16] They also have a black kit they have used during the 2013 season.

Stadium

Club culture

Supporters

The Kickers' official supporters group is the River City Red Army who occupy section O of City Stadium.

James River Cup

The James River Cup was an annual competition held between the Richmond Kickers and the
Virginia Beach Mariners (formerly Hampton Roads Mariners) which the team with the most points at the conclusion of all scheduled matches between the two teams would win. The Cup was held every year since 1996 with the exception of 1997 and 2001 when Virginia Beach did not field a team. In 2007, the Virginia Beach team was disbanded.

For the 2008 season, the James River Cup was contested between the Kickers' organization and the
Hampton Roads Piranhas organization. The cup went to the organization that had the most points in games between their PDL and W-League teams. The series ended up tied 2–2–1, with the Piranhas winning the Cup on
goal difference.